The Hot Topic is a collaborative work by one of the most respected scientists and one of the most dynamic writers in the field of climate change. Sir David King, world-renowned scientist and the Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser, is widely credited with persuading Tony Blair to act on climate change and with getting key international figures around the negotiating table, and has a significant media profile. On publication of The Hot Topic his previous obligation not to comment publicly about New Labour’s attitude to the ever-growing problem of global warming will be lifted and he will finally be able to speak out. Gabrielle Walker is a respected author, journalist and radio presenter, and a regular contributor to New Scientist, whose 8-part series 'Planet Earth Under Threat' was a major success last year for BBC Radio 4.

Last year awareness about global warming reached a tipping point. The Hot Topic goes beyond a statement of the problem to address in detail what can be done to answer the challenge on a personal, social, national and international level. A clear, short and engaging book that approaches the whole issue — the present problem and the future solutions — in a straightforward way, it is bound to receive massive attention from industry, the media and government alike. While there have been many other books about the problem of climate change, none has addressed what we can and should do about it so clearly and persuasively.